Megalomaniac
by kmxdc
Summary: Full story to DLS. Bella Swan is the hard ass CEO everyone loves to hate. She then meets Edward Cullen, hot bastard CEO of Cullen&Cullen Inc, who might just run her out of business. Will one night change everything she's worked so hard for?
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: SM owns them. I just write what I like.**

**So this is the story for DLS. I know I said I might not be able to update for a while but I was inspired today & I couldn't wait to share this with you guys. Sorry for the typos. I don't have a beta & I make do with what I got. Also, I had to change the rating to M cause I'm paranoid. Enjoy reading! xo**

**MEGALOMANIAC**

**CHAPTER 1**

** B****POV**

The sound of my bedroom door slamming shut woke me up from my tranquil slumber. I huffed and buried myself deep under the covers. Just as I was about to drift off back to sleep, the alarm went off and I cracked an eye open in time to see Alice, my best friend, launch herself unto my bed.

"Good Morning, Bellaaa!" She sang loudly. "Today's a big day. Come on, get up and go shower while I pick out your clothes for you. Then we need to do your makeup and hair and we only have an hour left to do that. Chop chop!"

I groaned, rolled over, but got up and headed for the bathroom. As much as I wanted to catch up on sleep, I knew she was right. Today was not a day for slacking off. Today would be the day I, Isabella Marie Swan, faced the media about my _"skyrocket to success"_, as what they liked to call it. Believe it or not, I wasn't this hot with the press months ago. At that time, I was just a plain girl from a small town nobody's ever heard of. Now though, things have changed greatly for me and I thank my lucky stars every single night before bed. After my shower, I wrapped myself in my comfy terrycloth robe before stepping into my room and taking a seat near the windows. As I waited for Alice to prep me for the day, I let my thoughts drift.

Growing up in Forks, Washington (population zero) with my eccentric mother, Renee, and Chief of Police father, Charlie, had me fending for myself at a young age. My mom read tarot cards with her head in the clouds 90% of the time and my dad usually worked 24-hour shifts at the station (though I don't know how a town that small could have such active crime activity).

Despite this situation however, I was pretty sheltered. My parents were protective, seeing as I was their only child, and it didn't help matters that my father was the chief. I was a loner for as long as I could remember, save for a few friends who'd actually stuck around with me. In high school, I was considered one of the geeks because I didn't go out and party, I liked to read (you'd always find me with my nose buried in a book), and I had excellent grades (4.0 GPA and an exceptional record to match). It was later that I learned how much incentive I'd gotten from being responsible so early on. I was accepted into the University of Washington on a full scholarship grant where I took my Bachelor then Master's Degree in Management, graduating suma cum laude in both. I decided to just settle in the city after graduation and now at 24, I run the most lucrative business in Seattle, focusing mainly on software services and whatnot.

I was brought out of my musing when Alice stepped in the room with my change of clothes and some supplies. She and I met way back in our first year at UDub and just hit it off. Alice is a little ball of energy. Her enthusiasm is infectious and so are her laughs. We always end up laughing like 5year-olds when we're together, and she's like the sister I've never had. Alice now works as a stylist for some major bigwigs here and there. She's all about fashion and makeup and always uses me as her personal Barbie doll. I let her because she's Alice and I trust her and also because a few new nice things in my wardrobe never hurt anybody.

I turned in the swivel chair to face her and smiled, "Just something simple please, Ali. I'm really not in the mood for caked-on makeup right now."

She gasped, as if I'd just slapped her then narrowed her scary little pixie eyes at me. Now if it was anyone else in my place right now, they'd probably be shaking in fear but I've known my best friend for years and this was something I'd gotten used to.

"I would _never_-" I cut her off with a raised hand. "I know. I'm sorry. You can do whatever. I don't care. I've had like 3 hours of sleep, Ali, and I'm so fucking tired. I wish I could take a break."

I rubbed a hand over my face and closed my eyes. I could hear her walking around the room, getting supplies, and then felt her stand in front of me again. I opened my eyes and looked up at her before I was enveloped in a tight hug.

"You work too much," She said softly in my ear. I could feel myself nodding back. "You do need to chill for a while, you know. Not now, maybe, but soon. We could take a few days off and fly out wherever. That'd be cool, wouldn't it?"

I smiled and squeezed her. "Thanks. Better start booking those tickets before I change my mind." I said jokingly and she laughed before pulling out of the hug.

We talked about lighter things after that while she started with my hair and makeup. I had to admit, I had been working myself too hard lately and a break was just what I needed. I just hadn't found the time, what with all the existing competitors Swan Enterprises had, and my need to stay on top of everyone. At 7:30, Alice happily announced that she was done and skipped out the door as I hurriedly dressed, gathered my things, and got in the car. I had to be at the office at 8 a.m. today before I had the interviews and such at 10. Traffic wasn't that bad, thank God, and I got in with a few minutes to spare. The elevators opened up to my floor and as I stepped inside, the chattering of employees immediately stopped. They all scrambled around to get back to their desks as I passed them. I nodded my head in greeting to some but didn't slow my pace until I reached my office. I'd just collapsed on my comfy leather chair when the intercom beeped.

"Good morning, Miss Swan. The new guy from HR is here. Should I send him in?" Angela, my PA, said politely.

I suppressed a sigh. I hated dealing with new employees this early in the morning but it had to be done.

"Yes please."

I leaned back in my chair as the office door swung open to reveal a nerdy-looking kid with glasses and a face full of acne standing awkwardly in the doorway. This time, I did sigh and but squared my shoulders as I looked to him and snapped,

"Get in here, close the door, and park your ass on that chair." I gestured to the chair in front of me as he did as he was told, all the while looking at the floor. "What's your name, how old are you, where are you from, and what are you doing here?" I fired off. He started trembling and I swear to God I thought he would cry any minute now.

"M-my name's T-Tyler Cr-Crowley. I-I'm, I mean, I j-just turned 21 and I'm fr-from Oregon. I met wi-with Mr. N-Newton y-yesterday a-and he s-said I h-had the j-job." He managed to stutter out.

I blinked, surprised, and decided to ask why he was trembling. In the back of my mind, I already knew the answer to that but I wanted to be sure.

"Why so nervous, Mr. Crowley?" I smirked.

He swallowed noisily and shook his head.

"You're acting like you're on death row your first day on the job and you can't even look at me. How can I have you work here if you're…" I trailed off and gestured around with my hands.

He sat silently, didn't say anything, and continued to look at the floor. I was getting tired of this and I wanted some R&R before the reporters came in so I threw him a bone.

"Are you scared of me, Mr. Crowley? Is that it?" I hissed quietly.

He jumped in his chair. I laughed. _I am one twisted bitch._

"Look, I know everyone's probably told you how much of a hardass I am but you've got nothing to worry about. The way I see it, you do your job to a T and you'll continue to have one till whenever. I may be a bitch," He flinched at that and I rolled my eyes. "but I'm fair. I don't go around busting people's asses just because I can. It's probably because I had to. I worked hard to get here, and so did you, I'm sure. Just do what you have to do, don't break company rules, and you'll be fine." He looked up then and smiled timidly at me.

"I didn't know you were aware of the… uh…" He said shakily.

"Believe me, Mr. Crowley, I know everything that goes on in my organization." I said to him, tapping my temple with my index finger. He nodded then opened his mouth again but hesitated, before shaking his head.

"I just- Doesn't it bother you?" He asked.

I shrugged my shoulders, feeling sorry for the kid. He seemed genuine and honest, and a little naïve.

"Let's just say I have more important things to worry about. Now go do your thing. I have a full day of interviews ahead." I dismissed him and he stood up and went to the door then warily looked back to me.

"I think you're an amazing woman, Ms. Swan. The things you've accomplished… not everyone can do that. It really is an honor to be working for you." I smiled, said my thanks, and he let himself out.

As soon as I was alone again, I took a deep breath and waited for the interviewers. I had to meet about five of them, answering the same old boring questions; like how I did it, started an immensely successful business by myself with not that much capital to begin with, how I continued staying on top despite the financial crises crumbling down almost every other businesses in the country nowadays, and what I had planned for the future. I was now in my last interview and I was exhausted.

"Ms. Swan, can you tell us how you deal with your competitors?"

I plastered on a smile for the writer from Entrepreneur magazine and said, "I try to focus on my own business and do whatever I can to improve it. Competitors will always be around, no matter what you do in the industry. The important thing is to stay ahead in the game."

He nodded, "What about new competitors? How would you cope with that?"

I thought for a while and said, "So far, there haven't been that many yet. We'll handle them when we cross them." I shrugged nonchalantly.

He then thanked me for my time and left the office. I noticed it was now close to 6 p.m. so I packed my stuff too and headed home.

That night, I had a bit of trouble sleeping. My mind wouldn't shut off and I didn't know why I was so restless. I had no reason to be. Sure, today had been interesting but it was just business as usual. Nothing was off and everything seemed the same at work. A feeling in my gut told me something else entirely different, though. I didn't know what was coming to me but I promised to prepare myself for it. I grabbed a couple of pills, downed them dry, and went to bed.

**That's it for now. Lemme know what you think. Go on, make clicky-clicky on the review button. You know you wanna.. (:**


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER 2**

**EPOV**

"Are you sure about this?" He asked.

I nodded slightly but stared straight ahead.

"This is a big deal, son. You know you can't just get up and leave once you've started." He stood up and started pacing.

I frowned.

"You and I both know I can do this." I said firmly.

He stilled, turned to gaze at me, and smirked.

"It's not that I don't trust you with it, Edward. I'm just making sure you know what you're dealing with here. Seattle is a big city and a huge risk."

"I understand completely and I promised you my commitment. We've talked about this so many times already. Don't tell me you're backing out now?" I huffed in annoyance.

He put his hands up in mock surrender but his eyes were twinkling. He walked back to the large oak desk and sat across from me. With deft fingers, he skimmed the documents, taking his time reading each and every word in print. I was anxious to get this over and done with but I let him have his dramatic moment. As I waited, I thought of how so much had changed in the past year.

I, Edward Anthony Cullen, am now in the process of becoming the next CEO to Cullen&Cullen Inc. Sure, it was a new venture out in Seattle but my father, Carlisle, had always wanted to branch out. Now that he was giving me the opportunity to actually make a name for myself, I couldn't let it pass.

Cullen&Cullen Inc. was started by none other than my father and my uncle (his brother) a few years ago. It was a joint partnership that flourished in a short span of time and ended up as one of the most successful enterprises in Chicago.

When my uncle died of heart failure half a year ago, the business took a tailspin and almost went bankrupt. Carlisle did all he could to keep it afloat and when the grieving time passed, he dove right back in to working so he could re-establish it into what it was before.

A few months later, Cullen&Cullen Inc. was back on the industry and was again gaining ranks in the top lists of most successful businesses in the area. Carlisle kept the name as it was as a tribute to his brother. I truly did admire my father for his dedication and hard work. It was he who inspired me to follow in his footsteps.

I never thought I'd be able take on such a demanding career at 25 but here I was, actually getting annoyed with my father's slow pace with signing the documents that would seal my fate. I've been immersed with the workload the minute I was able to calculate balance sheets on my own.

Being an assistant to Carlisle was a good way to earn a few extra bucks when I was younger but that soon turned into an intense fervor that gained me recognition in the office. Taking on the business though, was a different matter altogether.

Don't get me wrong, I do love the job and I was so familiar with it now that I knew it like the back of my hand. It was just a little overwhelming and I fervently prayed I wouldn't screw anything up. Not only would this be good for me, but it would also benefit the company and ultimately, Carlisle, as well.

I broke free of my thoughts and watched him earnestly. He hesitated a moment at the last page before picking up his gold-plated fountain pen and signing his name with a flourish. He then turned it around and I signed my name, too. It looked like chicken scratch but what else would you expect from me signing anything in haste? My own handwriting looked like shit in a normal setting.

I glanced up in time to see Carlisle eyeing me with a curious look, probably wondering what was going through my head. I was just about to shrug back at him when the enormity of the situation dawned on me.

It was official. I was now CEO of Cullen&Cullen, Inc. I breathed a sigh of relief and a wide grin stretched across my face.

"Congratulations, son." Carlisle stood up from his desk again but this time, it was to come around to my side of the table and embrace me tightly. I hugged him back, mumbled my thanks, and stepped away.

Now that things were settled, I had to go and he had to get back to work so I saw myself out, stopping the urge to skip all the way home.

**A FEW MONTHS LATER**

"Good morning, Mr. Cullen. Here's your schedule for the day." Kate, my secretary, said brightly as she thrust the clipboard in my hands.

I gave it a fleeting look before giving a nod to her direction and entering my office. As I settled into my comfy leather office chair, a single phrase jumped at me from the list of appointments. I stood and walked back to the door. Poking my head out, I saw Kate typing away furiously on her computer.

"Kate, could you come in here for a moment?"

She looked up and gave me a big grin before stepping into my office. Once she was inside, I showed her the clipboard and jabbed my finger at the offending part of my lineup.

"What the hell is this?"

She smiled wider.

"I believe it's an interview with Entrepreneur magazine, Sir. At 3 p.m. to be exact."

I was confused now. I didn't do interviews and magazine spreads. Ever since Cullen&Cullen Inc. became an established name in the Seattle area and had flourished into an empire in just a short span of time, I'd received a number of e-mails and calls asking for interviews but I always made sure they never happened.

I was far too busy making money and working my way to the top; and as much as they'd mean more advertising for the company, I just wasn't in the mood to be asked intrusive questions that could bite me in the ass in the future. So what if I was a little irrational? I protected the corporation like a drug-addict would protect his Maui wowie. Yeah, don't even ask how I know about that. I just do.

"Kate, you know how I feel about shit like this. Cancel it." I said.

"No."

"What?" I seethed.

"Look, Edward. I talked to Carlisle-"

"YOU FUCKING WHAT?" I roared. _Like a motherfucking lion._

She flinched slightly but glared at me with her hands on her hips.

"I know I'm going way past the secretary position here but I'm telling you this as your friend. You need to get out there and get good publicity. You suck at that and that's the only reason we've been lagging behind the others. You wanted to be on top, right? I'm just helping your little ass along so you might actually get what you want." She ranted.

I groaned.

"Don't do this to me."

"Fine, I'll cancel but I'm telling you right now you're wasting a perfectly good opportunity here. What happened with Iri-"

"Don't even say it." I looked at her pointedly.

She huffed out a breath and turned to leave the room. She slammed the door loudly as she walked out but I couldn't be bothered with that. I could hear her banging things on her desk outside as I sank into the nearest couch, reserved usually for guests when I had meetings and such.

It was frustrating to have someone close to you work as your right-hand person but Kate was like family and so I'd welcomed her with open arms. She used to work for my father but when the Seattle office opened up, she begged Carlisle for a transfer, saying that she needed a bit of change.

Just as I was about to get up and start on the massive paperwork piled high on my desk, my office door opened and Kate briskly walked in with the new Entrepreneur magazine in hand. She stopped in front of me and shoved the offending thing in my hands before turning on her heel and ditching as fast as she'd entered the room.

I stared blankly at the door. The woman sure has some major issues with giving someone stuff. She always hands things out with a jab or a shove and always with a little too much force.

I dragged my attention back to the magazine, flipping the pages and snorting at each article before I stopped at one with the sexiest pair of legs on glossy paper I'd ever seen.

The legs were clad in sky-high black heels and attached to a curvy body in a tight black skirt and an equally tight white blouse with the top buttons undone, showing a bit of skin. I trained my eyes slowly to the woman's face and marveled at her beauty.

She had a heart-shaped face with big brown eyes partially hidden in sexy-librarian glasses and she was leaning on an office desk, the unmistakable Seattle skyline behind her. Her ruby red lips were curled into a titillating smile that made her look as if she was hiding some big secret, taunting me to want to know what it was.

Big brown curls framed her face and the way she posed, with an aura of such dignified authority, made me want to lick the page. She had the palest skin, like cream, and I wanted to know if it felt just as smooth as it looked.

I was now practically drooling over this fuck-hot chick in the magazine and I could feel the tightening in my pants.

_Ah, fuck._

Raging boners at 9 in the morning are never a good idea. I moved to change the page so I could desperately calm myself when the article's title caught my eye.

**Young Millionaire: Isabella Marie Swan**

I skimmed the first paragraph.

_Isabella Marie Swan founded Swan Enterprises all on her own right after graduating suma cum laude from the University of Washington in 2010. She reportedly raked in __$80 million in sales in the first year alone and has then continued expanding her corporation into supremacy.__ Now at 24, she is one of the richest and most successful women in the business industry today._

I stopped reading and gazed back at the picture.

_This was Isabella Swan? The only competition I couldn't shake off the corporate ladder since I'd entered Seattle? Well shit. This was unexpected._

I pulled out my cell and pressed 3. A few moments later, a ringing phone could be heard a few feet away from where I sat.

"Edward? Why are you calling me on here?"

I could hear her voice from outside and I rolled my eyes.

"Kate, don't cancel Entrepreneur magazine. Looks like I'll be in an interview at 3."

**A/N: Sorry for the late update. Show me some love (:**


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER 3  
><strong>

**BPOV  
><strong>

"As you can see here, revenue has increased somewhat –"

I whipped my head up at the words and narrowed my eyes at Michael Newton, the head of our Sales Department. He immediately clammed up and I could almost see beads of sweat form on his forehead. _Ugh. _Pocketing my phone, I nodded at him once with a somber expression.

"What exactly does _increased somewhat_ supposed to mean?" I asked warily.

"Well…"

"Yes, Mr. Newton?"

"Cullen&Cullen has been right on our tail for the past months, Ms. Swan. It seems as though they've taken some, if not most of our clientele and their hefty deposits along with them."

_WHAT THE HELL?_

I composed my face and tried to remain calm but inside, I was throwing the biggest tantrum a grown woman could ever think to have. In her head, of course. I could practically see little Bellas in my brain throwing things around and punching imaginary walls.

I took slow deep breaths and massaged my temples. I'd been in company meetings since this morning and now I was in my last one. I fervently hoped to God I wouldn't need to strangle Newton to death by the end of this conversation.

"It's actually not that big of a deal, when you look at it. It's only a few people and I'm sure we can get them back with some minimal changes in the system. Advertising, for one. We need to be more aggressive out there." He kept on rambling and I had to grit my teeth to stop myself from screaming.

"Set up a plan. We'll discuss it with the others next week." I answered shortly.

I was not in the mood to talk about the current predicament my company was in right now. We could still do better. We _would_ do better.

My Blackberry rang as soon as Newton left the room. Picking it up, I sat back in my chair expecting Charlie or Renee on the other end. It's not like I get a bunch of personal calls everyday, after all. Most of what I get is through my work phone and usually revolve around business matters.

"Hey Bells! We're going out tonight. Wear that hot lace LBD we bought last week and I'll pick you up at 10-ish. Kbye!"

The sound of the dialtone replaced Alice's high-pitched voice before I could say anything else and I glanced at my phone before putting it in my pocket and leaving the office.

One the first things I learned about Alice when we first met was that she always got what she wanted. She could persuade you into eating 3 baskets of apples with just one look. She's _that_ good.

And yes, she did make me eat that many apples for finals week of senior year in college. We had to stay up late writing our term papers and cramming for exams and she'd had enough of me dozing off every ten minutes. Staying awake had been a no-brainer for her since she was a java junkie and had probably downed enough coffee to serve an army of people.

I, on the other hand, never really liked coffee. It tasted disgusting to me, still does, and we'd read somewhere that apples could be substitutes for caffeine so my bestfriend took it upon herself to buy me the three baskets and made me eat all of them with a glare.

I smiled wistfully at the memory as I continued the trek to my apartment. I lived a couple of blocks from our office building but sometimes I liked to just walk there when I was in the mood for it. I quickened my pace and finally reached my destination in a matter of minutes. On the elevator ride up to my penthouse suite, I tried calling Alice to see if we could move the time a little later but she wouldn't pick up her damn phone. I was honestly tired from the stressful day and I was in no mood to party.

I took a warm bath and relaxed a little before my little hellion friend got here and tortured me with enough makeup to get a clown to weep in embarassment. Not that she'd make me look like one of course, but you catch my drift. I moved to my bedroom after that awesome bath and started the hunt for the perfect dress to wear tonight. Alice had dragged me along one of her outrageous shopping trips last weekend and I'd stumbled across a pretty vintage black lace dress. She'd insisted I buy it and since I could never say no to her, I cashed out.

I dressed slowly, hoping Alice would cancel. Though in my mind, I knew she wouldn't. Sure enough, at five minutes to ten, she waltzed gracefully into the apartment dressed in an outfit that was all her and I grinned.

"Hi! You look great, Bells."

She blew me a kiss before heading straight to the kitchen. Alice was tiny, tinier than me even, (and I was 5'3") but she ate like a growing 16-year-old boy. I also admit to eating as much as she does but thank God we never gain the pounds from all that food. We must have super-fast metabolism or something.

She started taking out containers of leftovers and some wine before setting plates and utensils on the dining room table. I popped the food in the microwave and reached for the wine.

"Whoa there, little missy. Wine before dinner? I'm appalled by your behavior!" She slapped my hand away and looked at me with brows drawn in concern.

"I'm just tired, Ali. I've had one hell of a day with countless brain-numbing meetings and a truckload of paperwork that needs to get done by tomorrow, and to top off that shitstorm, Newton told me we'd lost a considerable amount on profits in the last few months alone. That was just the fucking icing on the pathetic crap-cake that is my lame-ass, miserable life. Oh, and I haven't been laid in ages, too. Did you fucking know that? Gah! I suck."

I took a heavy breath after my rant as Alice handed over the wine in silence. I took it gratefully, poured us both a generous amount and gulped mine down in a hurry.

"Cullen's getting to you again, huh?" She finally asked.

I shrugged.

"It's not him particularly. Hell, I'm pissed at everyone who tries to take me down. It's just that you know I've worked so hard on this. Everyone knows I have. I just don't want to be second-"

"Bell, stop worrying so much. You know you can do better, and you will. So what if he got a few hundred bucks from you? That's not all bad. You're still on top, waving around your flag like you practically own everything."

She smiled a little at me, choosing to speak lightly at the end. I rolled my eyes but smiled back.

After dinner, we piled into her new yellow Porshe 911 Carrera S and set out for the club. I decided I wouldn't let work stuff bother me tonight. I needed a break and maybe a night of fun would actually do me some good. We zipped through the main streets, blasting music, singing loudly off-key, and bouncing in our seats like giddy schoolgirls. Life is just_ damn_ fine.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: So there's the third chapter. I just wanted to say thanks again for all the reviews and favorites. You guys rock! Also, I received some of your suggestions on how to continue with the story and I really appreciate them. I'll probably update by alternating Bella's and Edward's POV and don't worry, they'll bump heads soon enough. lol. don't forget to R&R! (:**


	4. Chapter 4

**CHAPTER 4**

**EPOV**

"Good afternoon, Mr. Cullen. Thank you so much for giving us your time. It was a pleasant surprise-"

I held up a hand to stop the perky overenthusiastic girl from talking a mile a minute as I straightened in my seat. She shut her mouth but remained standing by the door grinning widely at me like she'd just won a free pass to the gates of heaven.

"Come in, have a seat."

She took little bouncy steps from the door to the seat across from my desk and plopped herself down with as much grace as a horse would plopping down on its ass.

I cleared my throat.

"You have to excuse me, Miss…"

"Jessica Stanley!"

She stated her name like a highschooler would at roll call, with the annoyingly high-pitched voice, and thrust out her hand. I winced but quickly rearranged my features to grasp her outstretched one over the desk and smile back tightly.

"I've been terribly sick since this morning. Migraines. So I was thinking we could just breeze through this, yes?"

I lied perfectly between my teeth and sent her a smile again.

"Oohhh. Yes, of course _Edward_. Anything for you, you poor baby."

My brows shot up in alarm at her sudden change in demeanor as I tried to stay focused on her face. She was now leaning into me as close as she could get with the desk in the way and pushing up her fake tits. I glanced down, squinted, and averted my gaze. _Yehp, definitely fake_.

"Shall we start?" I said in a professional tone.

She looked surprised and a little put-out with the obvious dismissal but composed herself as she took out a recorder, a notepad, and a pen from her purse. Turning on the recorder, she flipped a few pages in the notepad then turned to me.

"Mr. Cullen, what made you decide to open up your business here in Seattle?"

"Cullen&Cullen Inc. was never _mine_ to begin with. It started as more of a family business. Recently, my father and I thought it would be good to expand the company a bit and decided on Seattle so I could oversee it."

"You've snagged the second spot for Seattle's most profound businesses in the past few months. Does it bother you to have lagged behind Swan all this time?"

I cocked a brow and sighed in annoyance.

"It's not like I'm going to stay behind forever, Ms. Stanley. Ms. Swan just got a head start, but I plan to change things up soon."

She took down more notes and asked more intrusive questions before finally wrapping up her interview with the most irksome topic she'd ever thought to ask me.

"Are you single right now, Mr. Cullen? Perhaps in a relationship?"

I looked at her incredulously before shaking my head with a smirk.

"Single and content. Work keeps me busy, after all."

I dropped my head in my hands as the figures blurred in my vision, now looking like black splotches on paper instead of the numbers they were supposed to be. The pounding in my head had tripled since this afternoon's agenda but I'd chosen to ignore it, popping a couple of aspirin and getting back to work.

I glanced at the clock.

8:15 p.m.

Shit. Guess that explains the vicious headache and blurry vision.

My stomach made an unnatural sound.

And the growling stomach now, too.

I gathered my stuff and headed down to the garage. My baby was parked in her usual spot nearest to the elevators. A brand new Aston Martin DBS Carbon Edition in black. I'd bought it as a gift to myself when it hit the market last month.

I slipped inside, started the car, and gunned the engine. It purred amazingly and I had to bite back a groan. My baby was all I needed to keep me company. Women were just complicated and I didn't need that. I had enough on my plate now as it is.

As I sped off down the highway, an errant thought filled my mind.

_The feeling of pussy can never compare, though._

I shook myself from that reverie and focused on the road.

**A/N: I know I update like crap and this chapter's really short but it's now the end of the semester for us and finals week is keeping me really busy. Please don't hate meee :( I'm doing the best I can to get this little story along. Thanks for everyone who stuck with me, btw. See ya on the next bit! Don't forget to send reviews. They inspire me.**


	5. Chapter 5

**CHAPTER 5**

**BPOV**

I typed away furiously at the computer as I IM'ed with Renee. It was only 7:30 in the morning and I was practically the only person in the office, save for Angela who always came in early to sort through my schedule.

A loud thump, followed by a squeal, then the unmistakable click-clacking of Angela's heels on the hard tile floors drifted into my office. She was at my door in a matter of seconds, not even bothering to knock. I looked up in time to see her slam down something on my desk before looking at me sheepishly.

"What's this, Angie?"

"It's the new issue of Entrepreneur Magazine, Ms. Swan."

"Thanks for dropping it off but I'm sure it could have waited til-"

"With all due respect Ms. Swan, I don't mean to interrupt you but I think you really need to check it out."

I looked at her curiously, wondering what she was up to.

"Give me a minute."

She bobbed her head once before settling down on the chair across from me. I hastily logged off; telling Renee I had business to attend to, and then pulled out the files I needed to work with today. Angela was now tapping her foot impatiently and I almost snapped at her. She was acting really different this morning.

_This better be something actually important._

I cleared my throat, picked up the magazine, and almost dropped it again. The man on the front cover of the magazine was so beautiful it hurt to even look at him. He wore a dark grey business suit and was sitting behind a large wooden desk with hands clasped under his chin. His bright green eyes bored into mine, almost like he was reaching into the very depths of my soul and snatching my heart away from me. He had a perfectly sculpted nose and a really strong jaw line that could probably cut through glass; and his lips, _damn_. They were set in what appeared to be a scowl but that didn't stop him from looking all kinds of perfect. I trained my eyes to the mess of hair on top of his head and almost laughed out loud. He had dark reddish-brown hair that looked to be a shade of bronze in color and stuck out in all directions. _Sex hair_.

Angela squirmed in her seat and I stopped my ogling of the fuck-hot man on paper long enough to look at her and say what was on my mind.

"I think it's pretty clear that Entrepreneur didn't waste time in featuring a really handsome man for their cover, Angie."

"Umm yes, Ms. Swan. Mr. Cullen certainly has the looks."

It took a few more seconds for my befuddled brain to realize what she just said and when it registered; my eyes grew wide as I desperately tried to calm my now erratically beating heart.

_Holy shit._

Edward Cullen was actually a really handsome, really hot sex god.

I glanced at the magazine again and read the title in bold letters.

**Edward Cullen: Heir to the Million Dollar Cullen Empire  
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"This is Cullen? The sneaky bastard who's been stealing my clients?" I asked incredulously.

"Unfortunately. That's not all, though. Skip to page 11. He has a full interview in there and you might want to brace yourself before reading it."

She stood up from her spot and headed for the door. I focused my attention back on the glossy and read the entire article in a matter of minutes. It seemed quite harmless to me, but as I read the last part of the interview, I knew what Angela had come in here for.

_Q: "You've snagged the second spot for Seattle's most profound businesses in the past few months. Does it bother you to have lagged behind Swan all this time?"_

_A: "It's not like I'm going to stay behind forever, Ms. Stanley. Ms. Swan just got a head start, but I plan to change things up soon."_

Change things up soon.

I could feel all the blood draining from my face as I stared mutely at the words. Surprise and shock were replaced by anger and hatred in a matter of seconds.

_How dare he? How dare he threaten me when he didn't even know me?_

Sure, it wasn't exactly a direct threat but it sure could have passed as one. He might as well have said,

"Hey Bella. I know we don't know each other but get ready to fall off the cloud you're floating on cause I'm gonna be knocking you back to the ground any second now."

I angrily stowed the magazine in my desk drawer and grabbed my iPhone to make an important phone call. The operator was a big help, effortlessly connecting me to his secretary in a matter of minutes.

"Cullen&Cullen Inc. This is Kate speaking, how may I help you?"

"Yes, hello. This is Isabella Swan. I need to speak to Mr. Cullen, please."

"I'm sorry, Ms. Swan but Mr. Cullen is very busy today and he specifically asked me to hold all calls for him. Maybe you'd like to leave a message instead?"

I shook my head though I knew she couldn't see me over the phone.

"This is a very important matter, Kate. Please put Mr. Cullen on the phone."

I was met with silence on the other end of the line before a click and then,

"Cullen."

My knees grew weak and I was glad that I was sitting down for this. The smooth velvet voice was not what I was expecting. At all.

It seemed I'd taken longer than necessary to speak up because then Mr. Fuck-Hot Sex God with the crazy hair and velvet voice was speaking in an annoyed way about needing to get back to work and for me to get straight to the point already and if I could hear him or something.

I regained my composure, clearing my throat a little before speaking in a professional tone.

"Mr. Cullen, this is Isabella Swan. I would just like to tell you how utterly horrified I am of your interview with Entrepreneur. Please try to maintain a sense of decorum next time you speak of things with the press. I've respected you and your company because I am a professional and I suggest you start acting like one too."

He chuckled darkly, and I gripped the phone tighter, afraid I might drop it.

"Afraid of some competition, huh? Don't worry your pretty little head about it, _Isabella_. I don't like media all that much, anyway. What you do need to know, however, is that I don't say things I don't mean or carry out. I _always _get what I want."

"_You motherfucking son of a bi_-"

"Now, now Isabella," he cut me off with a tsk. "I knew you were feisty but that mouth of yours could get you in trouble if you don't watch it."

My mouth clamped shut involuntarily and I blew out a shaky breath. This man sure had some nerve ever daring to speak to me that way.

"That's better," He laughed lightly like he was enjoying himself. "Have a good day, _Isabella_."

Before I could come up with a witty retort to get back at him, he hung up on me.

_Asshole_.

****

**Disclaimer: Twilight still isn't mine.**

**A/N: And they finally talk! :D Edward's such a prick, though. I promise he'll get worse. Hahaha. Next up is their first meeting to stay tuned for that one.. and review please! xo**


	6. Chapter 6

**CHAPTER 6**

**EPOV**

_Frozen Tacos, check. Frozen Peas, check. Frozen French Fries, check. Frozen-_

My eyes stopped on the lump sitting on top of all of the containers before grabbing it in a rush and studying it for a moment. It didn't look like food. I continued to look at it warily before taking a whiff and almost throwing up what little lunch I'd had this afternoon.

_A frozen half-eaten cheeseburger covered in mold, check._

I couldn't, for the life of me, understand how a cheeseburger could get mold in the freezing temperature of the refrigerator. It must have been in there longer than I thought.

I carried the disgusting thing to the nearest trash can before picking up a random menu from the wooden box near the kitchen table and settling down on the couch.

Take-out again tonight, then.

_Ugh. I am so fucking tired of this._

Incessant ringing from somewhere woke me up the next morning and I cracked an eye open to survey my surroundings. Spying my phone on top of the pizza box, I hastily sat up to answer it before it went directly to voicemail.

"Cullen."

"Hey, bro. Where the hell are you? You're late for gym."

I groaned and glanced at the time, noticing that I'd forgotten to set my alarm the night before.

"Sorry, Em. I'll be there in 15."

"Hurry your ass up. I need a Texas Triple Whopper and you're paying."

I raced upstairs to change and was on my way in record time. It was a good thing the gym was only a few blocks away.

**BPOV**

"And then, he tells me to 'Have a good day' in this really fucking annoying voice that just almost made my ears bleed. God."

I looked up from my cup of orange juice to glance at Alice who hadn't said one word during my early morning rant about Edward fucking Cullen. She looked to be deep in thought as she stared at her coffee mug before daintily taking a sip and shooting me a sympathetic look.

"You know what? I really think you need to get all that hostility out of you, and what better way to do that than with a little time at the gym?"

I pondered the idea before finally agreeing. It would be good to punch some bags for a couple of hours. It would take all this tension off me for sure.

"How can they be closed today of all days?!" I wailed to no one in particular.

We were in front of our go-to gym that was just a block away from my apartment building. Apparently, when we'd made our last minute plan, we hadn't reallythought that they'd be close today. They were, unfortunately. So now we were standing outside figuring out where to go next.

I pulled out my phone and searched for the next nearest gym in the area which happened to be just a little ways down the road. I towed Alice along until we reached a newly painted building that looked way too swanky to be a gym. I hesitated for a second, made up my mind, and then proceeded to march inside.

A beautiful blonde bombshell emerged from behind the counter as we stepped in. She was tall and strutted towards us like a model would on a catwalk. Her sports bra and sweats ensemble showed off a toned body and she smiled brightly as she stopped in front of us.

"Hey, girls. I'm Rosalie. What can I help you with today?" She asked, still smiling.

"Hi! I'm Alice, and this is Bella. We were just hoping to punch some bags if you've got them." Alice chirped just as cheerily beside me.

"Sure do. Our gym is equipped with whatever you need. Ladies, if you'll follow me."

Rosalie turned and headed for the elevator as we trailed after her.

"As you've probably noticed, there isn't much to see downstairs. We wanted our clients to be able to do their workouts without a lot of hassle and trouble. Also, our gym is partitioned so as to separate the guys from the ladies. We believe it's more _decent_ that way, especially since we cater to Seattle's elite."

Alice and I exchanged a glance before the elevator doors dinged open and Rosalie began walking down a corridor and stopped in front of a glass door. She opened it with a flourish and ushered us inside.

I looked around the room and grinned at all the up-to-date gym equipment.

"You own this place?" I asked Rosalie.

"Yes. My husband and I, actually." She answered with a smile. "Speaking of which, I have to get going. I'm meeting him in a while. Enjoy your workout, girls. Just stop by the counter downstairs before you leave. Oh, and here's my number in case you'd like to come back."

She handed us each her card before leaving the room.

"So, I'm hosting a little get-together next weekend. You'll be there, right?"

I looked at Alice incredulously before taking one last punch on the bag. She was on the floor a few feet away and was sweating profusely from the workout. Her short, pixie-cut, jet-black hair was matted to her forehead and she looked ready to pass out. If she hadn't sprung that party up on me, I would've laughed at how ridiculous she looked right now.

"If this is another one of your devious attempts at setting me up on a date with another random guy, then no, I'm not going." I looked at her pointedly and started taking off my boxing gloves.

"But you have to be there!" She whined, pouting her lips and making puppy eyes at me.

_Ah, crap. Not the puppy eyes._ She knows I can't stand them.

"Fine. No surprise blind dates though, alright?"

"Weellll…"

"I mean it, Ali."

"Ugh. Fine. You're no fun." She pouted, sticking out her tongue at me.

I shook my head and gulped down some water as she stood up and slung her bag over her shoulder.

"See ya, Bells. I'm late for an appointment but let's meet up tomorrow."

I grinned and blew her a kiss.

"See ya, Ali."

After a few minutes, I gathered my things and headed downstairs, too.

A tall brunette was now standing behind the desk and I paid hastily before turning around and running smack dab into something.

The something, or someone, I should say, grunted in pain as I blurted out an apology.

"I am sooo sor-"

My apology was cut short as I came face-to-face with a rock hard chest and abs glistening with sweat.

I swallowed and lifted my gaze up to the long neck, the chiselled jaw, and the handsome face I'd seen only once before.

Realizing I was now shamelessly ogling his goods, I cleared my throat and glared at him instead.

"Sorry." I muttered before stepping aside to get out of his way.

"Isabella Swan."

**A/N:**

**Dun dun dun duuuuunnn!**

**Hey, readers! Yeah.. I know, It's been way too long since I updated this thing but I've thought about it constantly and I just didn't want to leave this unfinished. I've been busy with college over the past year and I'm happy to share with you all that I've finally graduated. Yayy! I still haven't started working, just enjoying the downtime for now, but I might apply to some places soon so I really WILL get this completed before then. I've been checking my emails and it made me extremely happy to see that a number of you guys are still following this story. Thanks for the support! Hope you stick around and send me some love.**

**Happy Holidays! :***

**Disclaimer: Twilight isn't mine.**


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